Uefa's Nations League could save international football if it can survive inevitable pressure from clubs

October 18, 2018

Uefa's Nations League could save international football if it can survive inevitable pressure from clubs

“The most senseless competition in the world of football.” That was how Jürgen Klopp described the Nations League on the eve of this international break and those who have attempted to parse through the tournament’s various play-off permutations may sympathise with him.

Klopp’s complaint was not about the competition’s labyrinthian format, though. His problem was its purpose. The idea behind Nations League was to make mid-season international football more competitive and on the evidence of the September and October breaks, it appears to be a success.

The League A meetings between Europe’s elite have largely lived up to their billing. Among the mid-ranking nations in Leagues B and C, the promotion and relegation element has postponed the usual sense of stasis. The League D minnows spared regular spankings may be the biggest beneficiaries of all. The Nations League works.

leftCreated with Sketch.rightCreated with Sketch.

1/22 Marcus Rashford – 8/10

Rashford took his goal really nicely and played a gorgeous pass for England’s opener, but it is for his workrate that he earns high marks. His pace really worries teams and there was a sense tonight that he was a little more comfortable tucked inside rather than on the wide extremes. Tireless and diligent in his defensive work, Rashford never seemed to stop running and battling.

Action Images via Reuters

2/22 Harry Kane – 8/10

He would have loved a goal but this was a magnificent performance from Kane. Dominated the Spanish defence with his physicality,

Action Images via Reuters

3/22 Raheem Sterling – 7/10

Two very welcome goals to break his drought. The first was an excellent finish. Sterling was busy and a menace in behind that Spain struggled to deal with.

AP

4/22 Ross Barkley – 7/10

Accomplished performance. Similarly to Winks showed his defensive steel and always looked forward when on the ball. Delectable clipped ball to Kane for Sterling’s second.

Action Images via Reuters

5/22 Eric Dier – 7/10

Much-maligned in an England shirt, this was a good performance from Dier. His early clattering of Sergio Ramos was a bit of a tone-setter and seemed to almost lift England. Stout at the heart of midfield.

Action Images via Reuters

6/22 Harry Winks – 6/10

Winks was very quiet, but that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. A player more for the game where England are dominant in possession, but his positional sense and discipline was strong throughout.

Getty Images

7/22 Ben Chilwell – 6/10

A few nervy moments, but generally solid. Spain certainly didn’t exploit him at any point, and Chilwell stuck to his task well, blocking several attempted crosses. Kept going through the 90 minutes.

Action Images via Reuters

8/22 Harry Maguire – 8/10

A few nervy moments, but generally solid. Spain certainly didn’t exploit him at any point, and Chilwell stuck to his task well, blocking several attempted crosses. Kept going through the 90 minutes.

Getty Images

9/22 Joe Gomez – 7/10

Untroubled and unperturbed throughout the game. Gomez used the ball well and did all his defensive work effectively.

Action Images via Reuters

10/22 Kieran Trippier – 7/10

The Tottenham full-back ran himself virtually into the ground before being replaced. Asensio got no joy against Trippier. An impressive defensive performance, even if he had little chance to get forward.

Getty Images

11/22 Jordan Pickford – 6/10

His well-directed long balls were influential in both the first and second goals. Very, very fortunate not to concede a penalty for his pulling back of Rodrigo after messing about in his own area. Tidy generally, and similarly to De Gea had very little to do saves-wise.

Action Images via Reuters

12/22 Marco Asensio – 5/10

Asensio was probably Spain’s most disappointing player, his largely excellent set-pieces aside. He earns a slight rating jump for that, but otherwise was wasteful and lacked drive.

Getty Images

13/22 Rodrigo – 5/10

Rodrigo should have had a penalty, but otherwise a quiet game. Maguire and Gomez handled him rather easily.

AFP/Getty Images

14/22 Iago Aspas – 5/10

Aspas was relatively lively, but didn’t look a natural fit on the right wing. Substituted for the more impressive Paco Alcacer.

Getty Images

15/22 Saul – 5/10

Kept possession well, but similarly to his midfield cohorts Saul did little to influence outside of the middle of the park. Replaced by Dani Ceballos as Spain chased an unlikely comeback, and Ceballos looked to provide more.

Getty Images

16/22 Sergio Busquets – 6/10

As ever the tall midfield pivot was very accomplished in possession, but little else from Busquets.

Getty Images

17/22 Thiago – 6/10

Plenty of flashy touches and some lovely bits and pieces from Thiago, but the midfielder failed to produce the incisive pass Spain need to break down England’s well-structured defence.

Getty Images

18/22 Marcos Alonso – 5/10

Raheem Sterling had plenty of joy down the forward-minded full-back’s channel and looked a threat in behind every time England had the ball at times. Alonso did offer a useful outlet going forward, but the ability in the final third typical of the Chelsea man’s game was not apparent.

AFP/Getty Images

19/22 Sergio Ramos – 6/10

Failed to effectively organise the Spanish defence’s high line, and Kane bullied both he and Nacho aerially at times. Ramos kept fighting until the death, however, and deserves kudos for lifting his side in the second half. He took his consolation goal well.

Getty Images

20/22 Nacho – 5/10

Harry Kane made Nacho’s life difficult throughout and the Real Madrid defender was part of a disjointed defence exploited badly by England for the three goals.

Action Images via Reuters

21/22 Jonny – 5/10

Jonny struggled with Marcus Rashford’s pace relatively frequently during the game. He was probably the weakest Spanish player on the ball and provided little of quality when pressing forward.

PA

22/22 David De Gea – 6/10

No saves from the Manchester United goalkeeper on the night as England scored from each of their shots on target. De Gea could do little about the goals, but did give the ball away carelessly a couple of times early on. Nothing of real note, however.

AP

1/22 Marcus Rashford – 8/10

Rashford took his goal really nicely and played a gorgeous pass for England’s opener, but it is for his workrate that he earns high marks. His pace really worries teams and there was a sense tonight that he was a little more comfortable tucked inside rather than on the wide extremes. Tireless and diligent in his defensive work, Rashford never seemed to stop running and battling.

Action Images via Reuters

2/22 Harry Kane – 8/10

He would have loved a goal but this was a magnificent performance from Kane. Dominated the Spanish defence with his physicality,

Action Images via Reuters

3/22 Raheem Sterling – 7/10

Two very welcome goals to break his drought. The first was an excellent finish. Sterling was busy and a menace in behind that Spain struggled to deal with.

AP

4/22 Ross Barkley – 7/10

Accomplished performance. Similarly to Winks showed his defensive steel and always looked forward when on the ball. Delectable clipped ball to Kane for Sterling’s second.

Action Images via Reuters

5/22 Eric Dier – 7/10

Much-maligned in an England shirt, this was a good performance from Dier. His early clattering of Sergio Ramos was a bit of a tone-setter and seemed to almost lift England. Stout at the heart of midfield.

Action Images via Reuters

6/22 Harry Winks – 6/10

Winks was very quiet, but that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. A player more for the game where England are dominant in possession, but his positional sense and discipline was strong throughout.

Getty Images

7/22 Ben Chilwell – 6/10

A few nervy moments, but generally solid. Spain certainly didn’t exploit him at any point, and Chilwell stuck to his task well, blocking several attempted crosses. Kept going through the 90 minutes.

Action Images via Reuters

8/22 Harry Maguire – 8/10

A few nervy moments, but generally solid. Spain certainly didn’t exploit him at any point, and Chilwell stuck to his task well, blocking several attempted crosses. Kept going through the 90 minutes.

Getty Images

9/22 Joe Gomez – 7/10

Untroubled and unperturbed throughout the game. Gomez used the ball well and did all his defensive work effectively.

Action Images via Reuters

10/22 Kieran Trippier – 7/10

The Tottenham full-back ran himself virtually into the ground before being replaced. Asensio got no joy against Trippier. An impressive defensive performance, even if he had little chance to get forward.

Getty Images

11/22 Jordan Pickford – 6/10

His well-directed long balls were influential in both the first and second goals. Very, very fortunate not to concede a penalty for his pulling back of Rodrigo after messing about in his own area. Tidy generally, and similarly to De Gea had very little to do saves-wise.

Action Images via Reuters

12/22 Marco Asensio – 5/10

Asensio was probably Spain’s most disappointing player, his largely excellent set-pieces aside. He earns a slight rating jump for that, but otherwise was wasteful and lacked drive.

Getty Images

13/22 Rodrigo – 5/10

Rodrigo should have had a penalty, but otherwise a quiet game. Maguire and Gomez handled him rather easily.

AFP/Getty Images

14/22 Iago Aspas – 5/10

Aspas was relatively lively, but didn’t look a natural fit on the right wing. Substituted for the more impressive Paco Alcacer.

Getty Images

15/22 Saul – 5/10

Kept possession well, but similarly to his midfield cohorts Saul did little to influence outside of the middle of the park. Replaced by Dani Ceballos as Spain chased an unlikely comeback, and Ceballos looked to provide more.

Getty Images

16/22 Sergio Busquets – 6/10

As ever the tall midfield pivot was very accomplished in possession, but little else from Busquets.

Getty Images

17/22 Thiago – 6/10

Plenty of flashy touches and some lovely bits and pieces from Thiago, but the midfielder failed to produce the incisive pass Spain need to break down England’s well-structured defence.

Getty Images

18/22 Marcos Alonso – 5/10

Raheem Sterling had plenty of joy down the forward-minded full-back’s channel and looked a threat in behind every time England had the ball at times. Alonso did offer a useful outlet going forward, but the ability in the final third typical of the Chelsea man’s game was not apparent.

AFP/Getty Images

19/22 Sergio Ramos – 6/10

Failed to effectively organise the Spanish defence’s high line, and Kane bullied both he and Nacho aerially at times. Ramos kept fighting until the death, however, and deserves kudos for lifting his side in the second half. He took his consolation goal well.

Getty Images

20/22 Nacho – 5/10

Harry Kane made Nacho’s life difficult throughout and the Real Madrid defender was part of a disjointed defence exploited badly by England for the three goals.

Action Images via Reuters

21/22 Jonny – 5/10

Jonny struggled with Marcus Rashford’s pace relatively frequently during the game. He was probably the weakest Spanish player on the ball and provided little of quality when pressing forward.

PA

22/22 David De Gea – 6/10

No saves from the Manchester United goalkeeper on the night as England scored from each of their shots on target. De Gea could do little about the goals, but did give the ball away carelessly a couple of times early on. Nothing of real note, however.

AP

Yet the problem with making international football more competitive is that you make international football more competitive. By reducing the number of “meaningless friendlies”, you increase the demand on players. Europe’s top footballers are not playing more football matches but they are playing more football matches of consequence.

At club level, this will not go unnoticed. Klopp, for example, was once able to contact the head coach of a national team and request a favour or two at this time of year. “Now you call a manager of any country and ask him to leave out one or two players and he says: ‘I am under pressure as well because now it’s Nations League.’

The Liverpool manager became the first high-profile club figure to speak critically about the competition with those comments, but the only surprise was that others in his position had not done the same earlier. In fact, this significant change to European football was met with little resistance.

Support free-thinking journalism and subscribe to Independent Minds

The European Club Association, which is recognised by Uefa as representing the interests of the continent’s clubs, found nothing to take issue with when the Nations League concept was announced in March 2014. “The European clubs do not oppose such project, as the number of international matches in the calendar remains unchanged,” they said.

European Leagues, the lobby group including the Premier League, La Liga and the Bundesliga, reserved judgement. FIFPro, the world players’ union, were the only dissenters and the only organisation to note that, despite guaranteeing no increase in the number of matches, an increase in competitive matches is still significant.

“It should be clear that there is a difference in a friendly match and a competitive match”, said Tijs Tummers, the union’s director of player services. “As we understand, the Nations League will be another prestigious competition. As a consequence, that implies an increase in the workload for the group of top players.”

England beat Spain in the Nations League on Monday (Getty)

FIFPro’s point was an accurate one and one in the interest of Europe’s most influential clubs, as well as their players. Whether that increased workload begins to tell, and whether support for the Nations League within the ECA begins to waver as a result, remains to be seen.

One thing is certain, though: the football calendar is becoming a battleground. Compare the way in which Uefa’s Nations League was waved through four years ago to the dispute over Fifa’s attempts to launch their own version of the tournament, alongside an expanded 24-team Club World Cup.

Fifa’s vague proposals, described as a $25billion restructure of world football, were chiefly opposed by Uefa, who were particularly worried that the reformed Club World Cup would threaten the existence of the Champions League.

Read more

Uefa’s Professional Football Strategy Committee – incorporating ECA, European Leagues and FIFPro – expressed “serious reservations” about the plans in May, citing an increased workload on players among their concerns. Gianni Infantino, the Fifa president, subsequently kicked the proposals into the long grass.

The Nations League, meanwhile, is unlikely to go anywhere anytime soon, what with it being fully ratified, established and apparently successful tournament. Yet an inherent tension within it – demanding more from players, and thus more from their clubs – has plenty of time to surface.

Clubs are becoming increasingly attuned to the number of competitive minutes their players are forced to fulfil and will notice that the same argument of player burnout that helped defeat Infantino’s plans applies to Uefa’s new competition.

Do not be surprised if, as the popularity of the Nations League grows among the public, that same sunny outlook is not shared within some areas of the game.

Follow the Independent Sport on Instagram here, for all of the best images, videos and stories from around the sporting world.